The Drug War's Big Lie

Ted Nugent can be anti-drug, good on him. But if he wishes to wave the flag while doing so, he needs to know that that flag represents we the people, not the bumbling behemoth our government has become.

(EUGENE, Ore.) - In a tragically silly column in the Waco (TX) Tribune, Ted Nugent declares that President Obama should have picked him for the job of heading the White House Office of No Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). He summed up his ineloquent Prohibitionist stance with this statement:

"Every American who smokes dope, manufactures, buys or sells meth or uses any illegal drug is aiding and abetting the enemies of America. Case closed."

Mr. Nugent needs to put the computer keyboard down and stick with his guitar and his bow and arrows. He obviously doesn't understand the plate of drug policy slime he feeds from when he spouts such nonsense.

Yeah Ted, it's great to be against drug abuse, most of us are. But it's not okay to support policies which are anti-American. Which is what our nation's drug policies are - un and anti-American.

While Nugent flexes his rhetoric, he shrinks his legitimacy as a commentator on US drug policies. Precisely because (with his every swallow of drug war propaganda) Nugent supports failure, government lies and corruption and aids the cartels he professes he wants to eliminate. And in his doing so, Nugent acts as poster boy for all of today's drug Prohibitionists - up to and including President Obama.

"The largest ever study of cocaine use around the globe was carried out in the early 90's by the UN World Health Organisation (WHO) and funded by the UN Inter-regional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), but under pressure from the US its publication was suppressed when it became clear the report's findings were in direct conflict with the myths, stereotypes and propaganda that prop up the war on drugs"

Therein lies the rub. When the studies have been done, it hasn't been the science that won out but the pigeadedness of bureaucrats grown comfortable with hiding truth and facts.

"Considering the range of social concerns in contemporary America, marihuana does not, in our considered judgment, rank very high. We would deemphasize marihuana as a problem.

"The existing social and legal policy is out of proportion to the individual and social harm engendered by the use of the drug."

- POSSESSION OF MARIHUANA FOR PERSONAL USE WOULD NO LONGER BE AN OFFENSE, BUT MARIHUANA POSSESSED IN PUBLIC WOULD REMAIN CONTRABAND SUBJECT TO SUMMARY SEIZURE AND FORFEITURE.

- CASUAL DISTRIBUTION OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIHUANA FOR NO REMUNERATION, OR INSIGNIFICANT REMUNERATION NOT INVOLVING PROFIT WOULD NO LONGER BE AN OFFENSE.

A significant study 2 years later conducted in Virginia and funded by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) found the opposite of what they were looking for. While seeking evidence of cannabis harming the immune system they found instead that it actually is a potent anti-cancer agent:

That study was buried. Imagine... a policy so rigid and narrow-minded that they would hide a possible cure for cancer. Talk about bureaucratic terrorism...

President Obama in his June 4th speech in Cairo Egypt said "[...] no matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who would hold power: You must maintain your power through consent, not coercion [...]"

That is all the drug war is - coercion. It is unshakably wrong, it has been based on lies (Anslinger's "Reefer Madness") and it has denied science and compassion and existed solely on government power.

Mr. Obama also said that we will return to respecting science and work towards "ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology."

Well, the gig is up. The cat is out of the bag. Prohibition is a lie. The drug war is a scam that threatens us all.

Ted Nugent can be anti-drug, good on him. But if he wishes to wave the flag while doing so, he needs to know that that flag represents we the people, not the bumbling behemoth our government has become.

- Marie Myung-Ok Lee, from the LA Times (via the Ashland OR Daily Tidings), Link

After receiving training as a photographer and photographic systems repairman in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War period, Allan Erickson went on to work behind the camera as a photojournalist (California Advocate, Fresno, CA), a commercial products table-top photographer (Gottschalks advertising, second camera behind Richard Eissler), and he has photographed weddings, anniversary celebrations, political meet-and-greets, concerts, baseball games (currently working for the Eugene Emeralds, the San Diego Padres' short season single A affiliate, as their team photographer), school events, kids' soccer, portraits and my favorite venue, nature.

More than anything, Allan Erickson cares about the health of Oregon and he works closely on drug policy issues as a member of LEAP, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Send Allan an email at this address: allan_e@efn.org Visit Allan's blog as this link: morningdonut.blogspot.com

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Comments Leave a comment on this story.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

Hogs June 26, 2009 11:49 am (Pacific time)

Even if we legalized marijuana, Obama's and Pelosi's Cap and Trade tax would put manufactures out of business. So you libs keep cutting your own throats with your own ignorant ideas.

Allan Erickson June 15, 2009 8:23 pm (Pacific time)

Thanks all for commenting. The drug war is, literally, indefensible. Colleen, nice to "see" you. Thanks for stopping by! Asl always I encourage folks to support our friends at LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, http://www.leap.cc/ ) and utilize MAP's (Media Awareness Project) DrugNews archive: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/

Colleen McCool June 15, 2009 7:38 pm (Pacific time)

Ted, your ignorance is showing! Anyone who calls individuals who have made a safer, wiser health choice dopers is showing their ignorance. They need to be truly educated not fed more government lies and propaganda. Warriors can get their adrenaline rush making us all safer, catching violent predators! Harassing the sick and dying is an un-American activity. End the worst public policy since slavery. Trigger less violence, official lawlessness, racism, tyranny and ruined lives! End the demented new prohibition, help construct better safer drug policies for society and the individual. Take morally bankrupt profiteers, servants of tyranny, gun control fanatics and racists a step closer to being politically dead bodies. The violence, official lawlessness and prison over population are a policy created nightmare. Help restore justice. http://www.WeCanDoItAgain.com

Save Iran and it's people now!! June 15, 2009 1:52 pm (Pacific time)

Ted fails to pack the crowds when he has a concert these days, he certainly is full of garbage when it comes to his views about smoking a natural plant that God put on the earth. Allan, thanks for your contribution here. Hopefully somebody out there can generate something soon about the preacher Jeremiah Wright who was so WRONGLY swiftboated when all he did was speak the truth. Republican losers! Have a nice day.

Daniel June 15, 2009 11:23 am (Pacific time)

Ted who ?

Ex-nugent fan June 15, 2009 9:55 am (Pacific time)

Ted Nugent is a turncoat, he's probably paid off by big pharma, in fact I'd bet any amount of cash on that one. Loser, sad little redneck who once commanded the attention of the rockers of America. Now he's followed by a couple of racists and a load of bow hunters. Why would anyone even worry about it, that might be a better perspective.

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